If I offered you a voucher for therapy sessions totaling $1,300 or a cash prize of $41,000, which would you choose?

A new study, published in the journal Health Economics, Policy, and Law, shows that a course of therapy beats a signifcant financial windfall in terms of happiness. The researchers found that people who went through a course of therapy saw an improvement in mental health equaling the boost people (on average) get from a  $41,542 pay raise.

Quantifying happiness in dollar amounts is a tricky business, but the study does justify investing in therapy in a down economy. (Check out PT's  Therapy Directory to find a professional in your neighborhood.)